A stampede on Saturday night resulted in 18 deaths as thousands of devotees rushed to board trains for the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, leading to chaos at the overcrowded railway station. (Picture credit: Anindya Chattopadhyay)

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the incident. A high-level committee is reviewing CCTV footage and crowd control measures to determine the cause and prevent future occurrences. (Picture credit: Anindya Chattopadhyay)

Intense overcrowding on platforms 14 and 15 led to chaos, with delays and last-minute platform changes pushing the crowd to a breaking point, causing a deadly stampede. (Picture credit: Anindya Chattopadhyay)

Eyewitnesses, including an IAF sergeant, described the horrific scenes of people collapsing, fainting, and struggling to breathe as security forces struggled to manage the surge. (Picture credit: Anindya Chattopadhyay)

Among the 18 dead, 14 were women, including minors. Dozens of passengers were injured, many severely, as they were crushed and trampled in the stampede. (Picture credit: Anindya Chattopadhyay)

A sudden announcement about a platform change caused confusion, with passengers scrambling across platforms, further intensifying the already chaotic situation and triggering panic. (Picture credit: Anindya Chattopadhyay)

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that Delhi Police and RPF swiftly managed the chaos, with four special trains deployed to evacuate passengers and restore order after a sudden surge.(Picture credit :Anindya Chattopadhyay)